Polwarth Football League

Last updated

Polwarth Football League
FormerlyPolwarth Football Association (1922–1949)
Sport Australian rules football
Founded1922 (1922)
Ceased1970
CountryAustralia
Last
champion(s)
Winchelsea (1970)
Related
competitions
Bellarine FL
Colac & District FL

The Polwarth Football League (PFL) was an Australian rules football competition based in south-west rural Victoria. Named for the electoral district of Polwarth, which encapsulated numerous competing clubs, the league was established as the Polwarth Football Association (PFA) in 1922, before it was renamed as the Polwarth Football League in 1950. [1] [2]

Contents

The league's final season took place in 1970; six of the league's eight teams then migrated to the newly formed Bellarine & District Football League for 1971, with the remaining two (Apollo Bay and Lorne) commencing in the Colac & District Football League.

History

The first Polwarth Football Association season was conducted

The McDonald Cup, the trophy for which clubs were originally presented upon winning the premiership, was first introduced in 1929. The cup was initiated by and named after local politician James McDonald, who died in 1933; before his passing, he specified that no club could permanently hold the trophy until every club had held it at least once. [3] However, Winchelsea was given outright ownership of the cup after winning a trifecta of premierships from 1937 to 1939.

In September 1939, the association announced that teams would next year compete for the Marjorie Lawrence Cup, named for Australian soprano singer Marjorie Lawrence, a Deans Marsh local who had left the area to study music. [4]

However, by 1941, the Polwarth Association was put on hold due to Australia's increasing involvement in World War II. [5] The competition would not return until 1946.

In 1950 there was a mass exodus of clubs from the Colac & District Football League, the cause was that the Colac (Hampden league) team wanted to have the right to pick any player from the Colac DFL without needing a clearance. The result was Colac Imperials and Coragulac opted to leave and join the Polwarth FL and be away from Colac's reach. Beeac had a short stint in the Western Plains FL for two years before also joining the Polwarth FL.

After a couple of years the threat of Colac poaching their players had ceased, the Colac Imperials returned to the CDFL in 1955. Deans Marsh succumbed to player shortage and that was offset by the introduction of Queenscliff in 1957. Coragulac got permission to join the Hampden League in 1961 and Beeac returned to the Colac DFL.

Seeking new clubs, the league admitted Torquay in 1964 and then Leopold and Portarlington in 1965. Birregurra after a run of poor seasons went into recess after unsuccessfully applying to change to the Colac DFL. With the balance of the league shifting closer to Geelong the idea was floated to introduce more clubs closer to Geelong. Knowing that their little town didn't have the catchment to lure players as the other clubs did, Forrest transferred to the Colac DFL in 1969. The other clubs voted to form the Bellarine DFL and blocked Lorne and Apollo Bay from joining. These clubs were forced to join the Colac DFL making it the largest country football league at the time.

Clubs

Source: [6]

Final clubs

ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compPFL Senior PremiershipsFate
TotalYears
Apollo Bay
AFL Hawthorn Icon.jpg
HawksApollo Bay Recreation Reserve, Apollo Bay OFA1900s1929-1930, 1935-19700-Moved to Colac & District FL in 1971
Leopold
Leopold Football Club colours.jpg
LionsLeopold Memorial Park, Leopold GDFL 19551965-19700-Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971
Lorne
Lorne Football Club colours.jpg
DolphinsStribling Reserve, Lorne WBFA18961929-197081933, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950Moved to Colac & District FL in 1971
Ocean Grove
South Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg
GrubbersShell Road Reserve, Ocean Grove GDFL 19641969-19700-Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971
Portarlington
Melbourne Football Club colours.jpg
DemonsPortarlington Recreation Reserve, Portarlington GDFL 18741964-19700-Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971
Queenscliff
Westernbulldogssymbol.png
CoutasQueenscliff Recreation Reserve, Queenscliff GDFL 19281957-197071961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971
Torquay
RichmondDesign.svg
TigersSpring Creek Reserve, Torquay GDFL 19521964-19700-Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971
Winchelsea
Warrnambool Football Club colours.jpg
BluesEastern Reserve, Winchelsea WBFA18761923-1970101924, 1926, 1932, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1951, 1957, 1960, 1969, 1970Formed the Bellarine FL in 1971

Former clubs

ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compPFL Senior PremiershipsFate
TotalYears
Beeac
Montmorency Football Club.jpg
MagpiesBeeac Recreation Reserve, Beeac WPFL 19191952-196111956Moved to Colac & District FL in 1962
Birregurra
Watsonia Football Club.jpg
SaintsBirregurra Recreation Reserve, Birregurra WBFA18831922-196551927, 1928, 1930, 1935, 1955Entered recess in 1966, re-formed in Colac & District FL in 1967
Colac Imperials
Albion Football Club.jpg
CatsWestern Reserve, Colac CDFL 19221950-19540-Returned to Colac & District FL in 1955
Colac Memorial RoomsDiggersColac Showgrounds, Colac19221922-192311923Folded
Colac Rovers RoversColac Showgrounds, ColacCFL1900s1922-192411922Returned to Corangamite FL in 1925
Coragulac
Hawthorn Football Club colours.jpg
HawksCoragulac Recreational Ground, Coragulac1940s1950-196031953, 1958, 1959Moved to Hampden FL in 1961
Deans MarshThe MarshDeans Marsh Recreation Reserve, Deans Marsh WBFA1922-195711929Folded
Forrest
Brisbanelions fc icon.png
LionsForrest Recreation Reserve, Forrest 18911922-196961925, 1931, 1934, 1952, 1954, 1966Moved to Colac & District FL in 1970
Inverleigh
Hawthorn Football Club colours.jpg
HawksInverleigh Recreation Reserve, Inverleigh WBFA19260-Moved to Mathieson Trophy competition
Mount Moriac Mount Moriac Recreation Reserve, Mount Moriac FCDFA18781922-19260-Moved to Geelong Athletic Society FL in 1927, now known as Modewarre

Premiers

SeasonPremiersRunners-upScoreRef.
1922 Colac Rovers Birregurra4.6 (30) d. 3.2 (20) [7] [8]
1923Memorial RoomsColac Rovers9.20 (74) d. 1.5 (11) [9]
1924 Winchelsea Colac Rovers5.8 (38) d. 3.6 (24) [10]
1925ForrestDeans Marsh9.9 (63) d. 4.5 (29) [11]
1926Winchelsea (2) Inverleigh 6.8 (44) d. 3.4 (24) [12]
1927BirregurraForrest7.14 (56) d. 8.6 (54) [13]
1928Birregurra (2)Deans Marsh13.9 (87) d. 12.13 (85) [14]
1929Deans MarshBirregurra3.10 (28) d. 3.6 (24) [15]
1930Birregurra (3)Deans Marsh7.16 (58) d. 8.8 (56) [16]
1931Forrest (2)Lorne9.7 (61) d. 6.10 (46) [17]
1932Winchelsea (3)Forrest16.16 (112) d. 5.8 (38) [18]
1933LorneDeans Marsh16.9 (105) d. 6.8 (44) [19]
1934Forrest (3)Deans Marsh12.14 (86) d. 7.10 (52) [20]
1935Birregurra (4)Forrest20.19 (139) d. 14.10 (94) [21]
1936Lorne (2)Winchelsea13.16 (94) d. 13.13 (91) [22]
1937Winchelsea (4)Lorne12.16 (88) d. 12.7 (79) [23]
1938Winchelsea (5)Deans Marsh15.13 (103) d. 14.13 (97) [24]
1939Winchelsea (6)Deans Marsh9.13 (67) d. 6.6 (42) [25]
1940Lorne (3)Forrest8.15 (63) d. 5.8 (38) [26]
No competition 1941–1945 due to World War II
1946Lorne (4)Winchelsea16.11 (107) d. 7.6 (48) [27]
1947Lorne (5)Winchelsea21.12 (138) d. 8.16 (64) [28]
1948Lorne (6)Deans Marsh9.5 (59) d. 7.4 (46) [29] [30]
1949Lorne (7)Winchelsea6.15 (51) drew 6.15 (51) [31]
9.22 (76) d. 7.7 (49) [32]
Polwarth Football League name adopted
1950Lorne (8)Winchelsea15.8 (98) d. 10.7 (67) [2]
1951Winchelsea (7)Birregurra9.12 (66) d. 6.8 (44) [2]
1952Forrest (4)Lorne15.19 (109) d. 7.6 (48) [2]
1953CoragulacForrest14.8 (92) d. 10.11 (71) [2]
1954Forrest (5)Winchelsea7.10 (52) d. 7.8 (50) [2]
1955Birregurra (5)Coragulac6.9 (45) d. 4.9 (33) [2]
1956 Beeac Birregurra5.7 (37) d. 3.4 (22) [2]
1957Winchelsea (8)Forrest11.15 (81) d. 10.17 (77) [2]
1958Coragulac (2)Winchelsea9.16 (70) d. 8.16 (64) [2]
1959Coragulac (3)Queenscliff9.16 (70) d. 8.7 (55) [2]
1960Winchelsea (8)Lorne17.16 (118) d. 16.10 (106) [2]
1961 Queenscliff Winchelsea9.24 (78) d. 9.6 (60) [2]
1962Queenscliff (2)Apollo Bay8.16 (64) d. 8.9 (57) [2]
1963Queenscliff (3)Apollo Bay12.8 (80) d. 10.14 (74) [2]
1964Queenscliff (4) Torquay 10.14 (74) d. 1.4 (10) [2]
1965Queenscliff (5)Winchelsea9.13 (67) d. 6.8 (44) [2]
1966Forrest (6)Queenscliff8.13 (61) d. 5.14 (44) [2]
1967Queenscliff (6)Torquay9.23 (77) d. 5.12 (42) [2]
1968Queenscliff (7)Winchelsea11.16 (82) d. 10.9 (69) [2]
1969Winchelsea (9)Queenscliff21.15 (141) d. 6.16 (52) [2]
1970Winchelsea (10) Leopold 14.9 (93) d. 8.12 (60) [2]

References

  1. "Polwarth Football League / Polwarth Football Association (Vic)". Footypedia. 21 November 2008. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Roberts, Kirsty, ed. (2015). Polwarth League Reunion 1950–1970. Birregurra Football Netball Club.
  3. "POLWARTH PEOPLE KEEN ON FOOTBALL". Weekly Times . No. 3753. Victoria, Australia. 9 September 1939. p. 62 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "MARJORIE LAWRENCE PRESENTS CUP". Weekly Times . No. 3756. Victoria, Australia. 23 September 1939. p. 66. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "No Football At Colac". Weekly Times . No. 3751. Victoria, Australia. 10 May 1941. p. 40. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Australian Football - PFL Premiership season - Season 2022B". australianfootball.com. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  7. "DEANS MARSH". Geelong Advertiser . No. 23, 475. Victoria, Australia. 24 August 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "COLAC AND DISTRICT". The Advocate . Vol. LIII, no. 2602. Victoria, Australia. 10 August 1922. p. 33. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia. Colac are in the lead for the Polwarth competition.
  9. "COUNTRY NEWS". The Argus (Melbourne) . No. 24, 039. Victoria, Australia. 23 August 1923. p. 14. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "POLWARTH ASSOCIATION". Geelong Advertiser . No. 24, 094. Victoria, Australia. 25 August 1924. p. 8. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  11. "POLWARTH ASSOCIATION". Geelong Advertiser . No. 24, 386. Victoria, Australia. 5 August 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Winchelsea Wins Premiership". Weekly Times . No. 2702. Victoria, Australia. 14 August 1926. p. 79. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  13. "POLWARTH ASSOCIATION". Geelong Advertiser . No. 25036. Victoria, Australia. 12 September 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  14. "FINALS AND SEMI-FINALS". The Age . No. 22892. Victoria, Australia. 20 August 1928. p. 7. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  15. "Other Matches". The Age . No. 23, 190. Victoria, Australia. 5 August 1929. p. 7. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  16. "OTHER GAMES". The Age . No. 23, 524. Victoria, Australia. 1 September 1930. p. 7. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  17. "FINALS AND SEMI-FINALS". The Age . No. 23, 834. Victoria, Australia. 31 August 1931. p. 13. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  18. "Winchelsea Premiers". Weekly Times . No. 3387. Victoria, Australia. 27 August 1932. p. 62 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  19. "Lorne Win McDonald Cup". Weekly Times . No. 3440. Victoria, Australia. 2 September 1933. p. 70. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  20. "Forrest Successful". Weekly Times . No. 3491. Victoria, Australia. 25 August 1934. p. 66 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  21. "Other Games". The Age . No. 25, 068. Victoria, Australia. 19 August 1935. p. 7. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  22. "Other Games". The Age . No. 25, 402. Victoria, Australia. 14 September 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  23. "Winchelsea Win". Weekly Times . No. 3650. Victoria, Australia. 11 September 1937. p. 77 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  24. "RESULTS OF OTHER GAMES". The Argus (Melbourne) . No. 28, 722. Victoria, Australia. 12 September 1938. p. 14. Retrieved 14 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  25. "GEELONG". The Age . No. 26328. Victoria, Australia. 4 September 1939. p. 6. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  26. "Lorne Win Premiership". Weekly Times . No. 3711. Victoria, Australia. 3 August 1940. p. 39. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  27. "COUNTRY SPORT RESULTS". The Argus (Melbourne) . No. 31, 208. Victoria, Australia. 9 September 1946. p. 14. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  28. "SPORT IN THE COUNTRY". The Argus (Melbourne) . No. 31, 525. Victoria, Australia. 15 September 1947. p. 37. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  29. "History". Lorne Football Club. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  30. "V.F.L. Umpires". The Age . No. 29127. Victoria, Australia. 2 September 1948. p. 8. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  31. "Football in the Country". The Age . No. 29440. Victoria, Australia. 5 September 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  32. "SALE TOO STRONG IN FINAL". The Argus . No. 32, 145. Victoria, Australia. 12 September 1949. p. 17. Retrieved 15 June 2024 via National Library of Australia.